Is it good for kids to watch TV?

[Mr Rayon]

What does everyone here think?

 

What are the pros and cons of allowing your kids to watch hours upon hours of television?

 

Does it help with their listening/writing/social skills in any way?

 

Has there been any research on this?

 

If so, what are they suggesting?

[Anima Aeterna]

No idea about research, you might want to google that.

 

As for MY opinion, as a 19 year old guy who is likely closer to his childhood than most people here, I think TV can be very educational and give you an average to good example of what the world is about. However, it can provide an inaccurate example of what the world is about too, through the filtering of information.

 

For example, the news. Most of the times, and depending on channel and country, all they report is bad news. This can suggest the viewers that these news are truly all the world's about, when this is untrue. There are likely 10 times more good news to give than the bad news they report worldwide. They're doing their job anyway.

 

I think It's good to talk to your children about what they watch on TV and discuss with them about it. Try to perceive what is it they like to watch so you can touch a topic they'll enjoy talking about, and thus receive more feedback from them.

 

After all, while children might follow many examples they see on TV, and even more what they see in school, they will always be more likely to follow YOUR examples, the father's, if they look up to you and who you are.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Lil_Knowledge_Seeker

[Xittenn]

I think that cartoons are a great way for kids to learn to think both critically and creatively. Shows like the Wuzzles taught me as a child to look at things in a different perspective, and made me ask the questions about how organisms and diversity arises, and why we see some organisms but not others. Captain Planet made me ask how my existence affects the planet on a whole, and made me more fully aware that the planet existed. Shows like the glow worms taught me compassion and exposed me to a greater variety of emotions than what I would have been if it was left to the people around me.

 

These aren't replacements for proper parenting or social interaction, they are tools that help develop minds in a more diverse way. In small quantities television can be a fun and productive learning tool for children. I have personally cut my cable a long time ago, but I do stream the occasional show, and do watch movies. I feel that I still benefit from watching programs as it allows me to see things from a different perspective, and this helps keep my minds eye open. If I had children I would probably buy select shows for them to watch. I would have for them crayons, paints or stuff, and I would sit down and watch the shows with them while colouring or whatever.